Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Melvin Nguyen

Matthew Arlen Mills

Stuart Ronald Harrison

Keith Allen Hoelting

Andis Normunds Salins

Matthew Stephen Vos

Douglas Eugene See, Jr

Stuart Harrison

Tod Jason Michael

Robert Hoch Shuman V

The present disclosure relates to a tunneling apparatus including a pipe string having a distal end and a proximal end. The pipe string includes a plurality of pipe-sections connected end-to end. The pipe string also includes a cutting head coupled to a distal-most one of the pipe-sections. The pipe string defines a vacuum passage that extends through the pipe string from the proximal end to the distal end of the pipe string. A source of vacuum is in fluid communication with the vacuum passage for drawing cuttings through the vacuum passage. A blockage sensor can be used for sensing whether a precursor blockage condition exists within the vacuum passage. A source of air pressure can be used to force air distally through the pipe string to assist in moving cuttings proximally through the vacuum passage.

Tunneling apparatus including vacuum and method of use

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Pella, IA, United States of America

Melvin Nguyen